Saturday, October 8, 2016

The aurora borealis season started with a bang! The first visible one with intense brightness appeared on August 23. The lights filled the sky with their gracefully shifting patterns. It's time again to watch these beautiful lights dance and wave across the sky. The images show only fragments of the whole spectacle, which my 18 mm camera lens could cover.

I'd like to explain in a simple way some facts about the northern lights (for those who may have held a common misconception). These lights occur not just around the winter season, but all year round, particularly after the sun undergoes a large explosion that causes a geomagnetic storm which affects the earth's magnetic field. So, even in broad daylight, powerful auroras are in the atmosphere but we can't see them due to the sunlight, as auroras are best seen in darkness like the celestial luminaries. In summertime, the sky is bright all night long, specifically in our place, so we can't see the lights. This period, the sky gets dark earlier, so we're beginning to see them.

Here are a few photo reps of succeeding aurora sightings that I captured after that onset. There were stronger ones on other nights that I've missed due to the thick clouds that cloaked them.

August 29

August 30

September 1, too cloudy, but aurora tried to shine through

September 2, 3

September 5

September 28

September 29

October 4

Did you know that the auroras protect us from the harmful ultra-violet rays of the sun? Even those in countries who can't see these lights benefit! Our loving Creator wisely created our home planet that way to protect us. And He does protect us beautifully! (Revelation 4:11)

Sunday, October 2, 2016

I'm just spending a few minutes in my cyber home to scribble a welcome note to October. This has always been a month with a special touch for me, something indescribable, yet pleasant.

Autumn equinox has transpired in Sept. 22, and the new season keeps marching with colors that are swiftly fading away. So while the colors remain, I'm trying to stay outside, drinking in the lovely colors and the crisp air and preserving them with my camera.

I still have so many beautiful summer memories to store here, but I'll spend more time jotting them down later when the days become dark and frigid.